The Sacrifice
by Christina B
Summary: What REALLY happened that fateful Halloween night? This is Lily Potter's story of her last moments.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter yada yada yada, no money is being made blah blah blah, it belongs to Mrs. Rowling.

An: This story was a challenge on a different site, where I had rewrite an important moment in HP, but from a different characters point of view. So this is Halloween night in 1981, and this is from Lily Potter's point of view. Enjoy!

**The Sacrifice**

It's hard to believe that there will be a day again when the Wizarding World will be free from the wrath of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. For so long I've lived in fear, but I've been forced to forget it and draw on the legendary Gryffindor courage. Being a member of the Order of the Phoenix has been an incredible challenge, but I don't regret joining it.

Not long ago that we were all carefree students at Hogwarts. Yes I had my concerns but they don't compare to the present. The happiest day of my life was when I married James and that was only matched by when Harry was born. Unfortunately world events caught up and we were forced to join up with this fight for survival.

It was quite alarming to learn that Voldemort is after Harry, and sometimes I worry that he might actually find us. But then I remember the Fidelius charm and the fact Peter would never betray us. Neither will he be able to find us. I just hope that sometime soon he will meet his match.

A soft gurgling noise distracted Lily from her thoughts and she looked down to look at the happy baby lying in his crib. She reached down and picked him up, gazing at him fondly. "Have a nice nap?" she asked.

Harry's only response was a wide grin that showed his few baby teeth. Lily stood up, still carrying her son. "Let's go see what your father is up to," she said.

James was found in the kitchen, where he was carving pumpkins with his wand. He looked up and smiled when saw them approaching. "Nearly forgot that today was Halloween," he said apologetically. "Had to do something to celebrate."

Lily smiled. "Yes, we have so little to celebrate these days."

James' attention turned to Harry. "Happy Halloween little guy," he said, reaching out for their son. Harry immediately reached for James' glasses causing his parents to chuckle.

"I'm guessing that he wants his own set," Lily remarked.

"Knowing the Potter crummy eyesight genes, I'm sure that won't be a problem," James replied with a chuckle.

All of a sudden, the windows blew in and there was an incredibly loud noise that could only mean one thing. Voldemort had found them, and he was breaking in. It seemed that after all that careful planning they had chosen the wrong secret keeper.

James turned to her, a look of grim determination on his face. "Lily take Harry and go!" he said desperately. "It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off--" He was interrupted by the sounds of the door shattering, and the cackling of high pitched laughter.

Without another option Lily ran upstairs with Harry; who was already bawling at this point. She was sure that by now the house was surrounded by Death Eaters and it would be no use to try to get away. They were trapped with nowhere to go.

She entered the nursery and locked the doors while trying to imagine that Voldemort would actually leave her and Harry alone. Placing her son in his crib she tried to calm him down, but the one year old boy knew that something was upsetting his mother. Not to mention James; she had a sinking feeling that she or Harry would never see him again.

Suddenly their door blew open with a loud explosion and before the door stood a figure swathed in a black cloak. Terrified, Lily screamed.

Voldemort looked down on her with that look that could kill the strongest people. Lily knew that she was powerless to stop him from taking her son, but she had to try.

"Stand aside," he said threateningly holding up his black wand. It was the very same wand that killed so many wizards and muggles over the course of this long war.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily pleaded, tears running down her face.

"Stand aside, you silly girl," Voldemort replied irritated. When she refused to move from her spot in front of Harry's crib he spoke again. "Stand aside, now."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead!" Lily declared. She never knew that she would have the courage to speak in such a way to Lord Voldemort, but she cared more for the well being of her beloved son over her own life.

The Dark Lord didn't lower his wand and so Lily continued her begging. "Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy!"

"I'll show you mercy," Voldemort said coldly, turning his wand on her. "Crucio!"

The pain was intense and excruciating and it took all of Lily's willpower to keep standing in front of Harry's crib. She couldn't stop herself from screaming despite the fact that she knew relished it. The spell let up and Lily reached back to clutch her son's hand.

_I love you Harry_

Lily's gaze met Harry's and it gave her the courage to once more boldly face the dark lord.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The last thing she thought before the curse had taken the life out of her body was that she loved her son so much, and she hoped for a miracle.

Voldemort smiled with satisfaction. At last he would rid himself of this potentially dangerous child. He stepped over the body of the baby's irritating mother and looked down at the child. Placing his wand on the child's forehead, he relished the moment.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" he issued at the top of his lungs.

But something happened then that the Dark Lord didn't expect. The mother's love had done the impossible and the child survived. At last Voldemort was no more, all because of the Boy Who Lived and the mother that loved him.


End file.
